She Runs By Faith

Summer is here and the temp has been in the 80's and 90's this week. Heat and humidity feel almost refreshing after such a frigid winter! Our family is battling allergies right now, but we really can't complain about this gorgeous weather. In a few weeks, I'm running a local 10k with E and the jogging stroller (if the weather is stroller-friendly). This is the first race I've heard of that has something for jogging stroller runners, too. First place stroller wins a gift card - How cool is that?! That gives some extra motivation to those running with the extra weight of a baby (or babies) + stroller :) Check out the June Bug Run Since running the Fargo Half Marathon, I haven't been doing any official "training". I run simply because I enjoy it and push the pace/distance when I feel like it, which hasn't been much with my allergies gone wild. Structured training plans are something I enjoy though running on a whim is refreshing, too. So,...

Attitude. A good one can make your day; a bad one can break it. A good one is inspiring and a bad one spreads like a pandemic disease. Last night I came home with a bad attitude because I let someone else's careless comment get to me. It sounds ridiculous now as I write this out but at the time I was fighting back tears. (I blame it on the weaning hormones!) This morning I asked God to show me a verse that would speak into this situation. Why do words hurt so much? I opened up the book of Proverb and there was my answer. Reckless words really do feel like a sword stabbing your heart! Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. PROVERBS 12:18 This verse reminded me of the careful thought we should put into our words. Is what I'm saying building someone up or tearing them down? Are my words wise or reckless? Bad attitudes are contagious because they cause us to say bad things. Those reckless words then go on to hurt someone el...

Leo and I are celebrating 730 days of marriage today! 730 days or 2 years - call it want you want to, this is the sequel to the "365 Days of Marriage" post. We dug out our marriage vows today and reread them. The weather is rainy today, which is not good for farming but, on the bright side, Leo gets to spend some extra time with E and I! Marriage hasn't been easy, but it is character-shaping and it is a wonderful blessing. Marriage belongs to God - always has, always will. “God created marriage. No government subcommittee envisioned it. No social organization developed it. Marriage was conceived and born in the mind of God.” Max Lucado This was us then: We took a ton of pictures on our wedding day and it was a blast!  This is us now (+1): Now we attempt one family photo and it turns out like this :) “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, ...

This weekend reminded me why the Fargo Marathon is my favorite race ever. The course is great (and flat), but the race environment and spectators are what make this race so special. The race course was lined with spectators from start to finish. Music, cheering fans, and runners everywhere! And we only had to travel 2 hours to get there. It doesn't get much better than that! The Fargo Marathon Finish Image Source: Fargo Marathon Facebook Page Quick Sidenote: Looking for an easy way to keep track of your race results? Athlinks.com is a great site that keeps a record of your race times and placings! Before I start off on another random tangent, here is the race report: --- Fargo Half Marathon Results: Finish Time - 01:34:08 Average Pace - 7:12/mile Placing - Overall: 166 th out of 5173. Females: 35 th out of 3303. Weather: We couldn't have asked for better weather on race day! The sun was shining and the temp was in the mid-60's - perfect running...

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there! Her children rise up and call her blessed. PROVERBS 31:28a Now that I am a mom myself I appreciate my own mother even more. Motherhood has been the most challenging yet most rewarding role of my life! I haven't been at this for very long though it is truly amazing how much has changed in the last 14.5 months. Last week, I read an article called "What You Do Matters, Mama" and it basically summed up everything I feel on those more trying days. Find encouragement in knowing that God is with us! He sees us. He hears us. He is for us! "May we see the glory in the mud and mildew and monotony of motherhood. God is doing a good work in us, through us, with us." Erika at For the Family I love you, mom! I couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day weekend! Race day was a sunny mid-60's, my brother and I both crossed the finish in one piece, and Leo was able to meet up with us that eveni...

(WARNING: This post contains a picture of my foot. Don't say I didn't warn you.) It's Fargo's Marathon Monday! Only five days until the half marathon and six days 'til Mother's Day! This week started out on an interesting note. I woke up at 6 a.m. to sneak out for an easy 3-mile run and had a shoe malfunction. I didn't change anything - same shoes, usual sock style - but my heel was feeling a tad bit uncomfortable. A few hours later, I looked down at my heel and noticed this bad boy --> My last two long runs were 14.67 miles and 10 miles, both went without a hitch. Of all days, I happen to have shoe issues on a 3-mile day! My shoes and I had an issue in the past but I fixed it right up with some duct tape. Classy, right? Duct tape did the trick until today... ... Enough whining, on to race goal paces. On my longest-long run, the 13.1 mark passed at around 1:50 or so, which is 10 to 20 minutes slower than my "A-Goal" time. The i...

This world strives to keep us discontent; always wanting more or something other than what we already have. The lie goes something like this: "When I have ______ or when I am ______, I will be happy. Then I will have 'arrived'". Meeting a person who is content is rare! Being content doesn't just apply to material possessions; it also applies to our season of life. I have caught myself "wishing away" certain seasons in life. When I was single, I longed to be married. When we were engaged, I couldn't wait to be married. Now as a new-ish wife and mom, I find myself wanting to be more experienced; not to be considered a young new mom. In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul wrote to Timothy about being an example for others in the faith despite being young. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 TIMOTHY 4:12 I don't know how old Timothy was when ...